Shrimping gear



Jan. 9, 1962 H. P. wlLLlNGHAM SHRIMPING GEAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1959 Jan. 9, 1962 H. P. WILLINGHAM SHRIMPING GEAR 3 Shee'cs-Sheel'I 2 Filed July 13, 1959 Herma/7 P. VV/////7 970/77 INVENTOR.

Afro/mfr H. P. WILLiNGHAM Jan. 9, 1962 SHRIMPING GEAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July l5, 1959 Herma/7 P VV/////7g/7am INVENTOR.

BY gw@ ma United States Patent O v3,015,903 SHRINIPING GEAR Y v, Herman'P. Willingham, Aransas Pass, Tex., assignor toV F. K. Lytle, Aransas Pass, Tex. f Filed'July 13, 1959, Ser; No. 826,647

10 Claims. (Cl. 439) This invention relates to trawling gear, particularly 'of the type which is dragged along the rbottom of a body of water for catching bottom dwellingV creatures such as shrimp. The invention consistsv more particularly in novel construction and arrangement of the trawl net, itself, the otters doors for spreading the mouth of the net, the tow and drag lines extendingV from the'boat to the otter doors and net, and thebag or cod portion of the net.

According to current practice, shrimp trawling nets consist of a very large forward portion of generally conical shape, having an open mouth defined byl atop or cork line and a foot line or bottom cord. Drag lines extend from the corners of thenet mouth to the`otter doors which hold the mouth laterally open during trawling operations. Tow lines converge forwardly from the otter doors to a single line secured to the stern of `the boat. The otter doors, conventionally, are simply large, at, door-like structures which are secured to theptow and drag lines by bridles designed to maintain thedoors at an angle of approximately 30.to the line -of travel.l Conventional otter doors for this purpose Vare approximately three feet high by eight feet'long. Naturally, this type of door results in a rather low lift to drag ratio. Furthermore, the dragging of the door along the sea bottom stirs up the bottom so that clouds of mudare released.

Moreover, in order to Y.hold the net on the bottom, it is necessary to slightly incline the doors to vertical so'that Athe hydrodynamic forces `urge them downwardly and this, of course, reduces the lift which can be vobtained from the board for holding the net mouth open. 1

. -r Another-diliculty in the usual trawl netpractice is that theentire load is carried throughthe otter doorsto-the net mouth. One resultof this is that the doors must be Amade large enough. so that the lateral hydro-dynamic force component on the door will balancelthe longitudinal drag component when the door is in the'desired'angular position. As the load increases orxdecreasesytheincidence angle of the boarddecreases or increases, thus either reducing the lateralforce holding'the-netmouth open Yor increasing theudrag.A ,Furthermore,fthe. application of the entire load of the net to the netting ofthe forward portion thereof limits the load which canbe Vhandled without straining this portion oftheV net.`

j 'Still another disadvantage in currentpractice Ais that no 'meansis provided for rejecting trash objects which i:

are caught so that undesirable creatures, notablyflarge loggerhead Sponges, unnecessarily clog the netfandre- Yduce the protable'catcht. f a f Accordingly, an important object.. of the present invention`is to provide a novel otter door coiistructicmV which materially increases the lift-drag ratio. Y 5. f Another object is to provide'anotterjdoor which 'is much smaller and lighterlthanV previous doors; j 'j AAnother object is to provide an otter door-construction having substantially Vgreater stability than previous doors.

v Another object is to provide an otter door construction ,.havingta broad, longitudinal 'runner or sledvvhiclr` may operate relatively Vsmoothly.alongtheseal bottomfso as to '.provideV al'minimum of disturbance thereof.

. `Another object is to prov'de trawhng gear,.1ncluding otter doors, in which afmajor portion of. the load is car-l ried directlyto the codor collectingend of thenetrather thanthrough the'otter doorsand lightermesh ofthe vmain net. Y

Another object, is to'providedtrawling gearl t 2 otterdoors in lwhichvthe net kmay be maintained at'the bottom of theV Vsea by hydrodynamic and gravity forces acting on `the net,-itself, or a tting thereof and irrespec` tive of the inclination of the otterdoors.

t Another object is to locate the forward end ofthe collecting bagY or cod portion of the net relativelynear the mouth of the net proper, and providerneans on the forward endk of the cod portion for disbursing the load'substantially evenly therearound.

Another object is to provide a load carrying and disbursing construction of the forward end of the cod or bag portion of the net which embodies direction and level stabilizing means.

Another object is to provide a novel tsash rejection means in conjunction with the net.

Another object is to provide improved net fastening devices.

These objects, andother more detailed objects hereafter appearing are attained substantially by the devices and structures illustrated. in the accompanying drawings FIG. l isa somewhat schematic side elevation showingthenovel trawling gear; t. z

FIG. 2 is a plan of the structure in FIG. l;`

FIG. l3 is an enlarged, .isometric view showing one of the novel otter door devices; Y

FIG. 4 .is a plan 'view of the structure in FIG. 3;

Y FIG. 5 is a disassembled view showing the' novelloadand chain carrying and disbursing construction at the forward end of the cod or collectingbag portion of the net; Y FIG.' 6 is an end elevationV showing the device Vin FIG. 5

FIG.` 7 isan isometric, view of the novel trash rejection construction incorporatediin thenet bag; l FIG. 8 isa perspective view showing the front end o the net with the otter boardsomitted and parts broken away to clearlyshow the forwardly projecting top rand bottomV panels of the cod. portion of the nett FIGS. land 2*l aregeneral `views of the novel trawling gear, includingthe generally conical forward'portion 12 of the netand the rearward. collecting bag or cod portion `13V thereof which is of generally tubular construction and of substantially heavier, finer mesh than forward portion 112. Extending along the upper, periphery of the mouth ofthe net isthe head or cork line 14.which carries a plurality. 'of iloats v15 for vertically spreading the 'net mouth. The `foot cable v16 `extends from the forward,

bottom. corners tof, the net mouth to the corresponding corners of a novel load carrying andbdispersing device, Vgenerally indicated at 17, which is secured tothe-forward Aextremity ofl theheavy bag netting. vDetailsof device, 17

teriorfofnetportion 12.is continuousand unimpededas are continued forwardly asyatV v21, to form bottom drag Ilines forV attachment to the rear lowercornersof'the.otter doorsgenerally,indicated at 22.-. 'Converging forwardly ,fromrthe otter 'doors are towlines 23zwhich merge at 24 with the-.main tow line 25 extending -to the trawling boat.

Also securedto main towlline 25 is -a central tow line'26 which .extends throughfa-bridle 27 Yto the center of :load

vattachment 17 previously mentioned. I

Y. vFIG/8.3 yand 4 illustrate in detail the novel otter-door stmictures 22 whichare reversed, but, otherwise identical.

' through -the water.

At the bottom of each structure is a metal sheet 28 hav-Y ing an upwardly curved forward portion 29 and end and longitudinal framing pieces 30 and 31 Vforming a toboggan-.shaped sled. Diagonally mounted on longitudinal rails 31 is Ythe curved otter door sheet 32 which constitutes a nearly one-quarter section of the wall of an upright, hollow cylinder. The leading edge 33 of sheet 32 is, preferably, tangential to a plane paralleling the direction of movement of the'device and, incidentally, the net Connecting the upper -corners of .sheet 32 is a chord bar 34 which isY centrally provided with an eye 35 braced by a strut 36 for attachment to upper drag cord 37 which extends rearwardly to the adjacent, upper, forward corner of the net mouth. Also extending from thel upper corners of the door sheet are framing bars 38 and 39, respectively, normal and parallel to the center line of sled 28, 29 and which are connected at their intersection by `a verticalpost 40 with top rail 31 opposite leading edge 33. A bracket 41v secured to post 4l) provides ifor attachment of'convergingftow cable 23, 23a. lf desired, cable 23 may be connected to the sled through a bridle extending from an eye 42 onV the forward, inner'cornerof the sled and bracket 41 which may, in that case, be positioned higher on post 40.

In a practical embodiment as used with a standard com mercial shrimping net, sled forming sheet 23, 29 is made of one-quarter inch sheet steel, eighteen inches wide by four feet long. The curved door sheetis constructed o-f one-quarter inch aluminum `ofsuch size and curvature that radial bars 38 and.y 39, respectively, are eighteen and twenty-four inches in length. Thus, approximately threefourths of the weight of the device is incorporated in the sled at the bottomthereof so that the device has exception stability. Moreover, thetotal area of-sheet 32 is only tive and nine-tenthsV square feet, whereas present types of otter doors, as usedV with similar equipment, have an area of twenty-four square feet, more or less. Accordingly, the novel door is substantially smaller, lighter, less bulky and more stablethan Vconventional otter doors. Nevertheless, the novel door design, being substantially more eflicient in lift to drag ratio and used in connectio-n with the'novel towA and drag line arrangement, is able to control the net much more efliciently than previous doors. Another advantage of they novel otter door isV that it is much less sensitive to variations in dragging velocity than are ordinary, fiat doors. f

VIt shouldibe observed that with the leading edge of the curved door sheet trangential to a plane paralleling the direction of movement, the center of forces Vapplied against Vtheconcave-'face of the sheet are eccentric, which has theeifect of tending to rotate the sheet. This rotational force is translated through the drag lines to lateral forces tending tojhold the net mouth open, while'produc? ing substantiallylessdrag than conventional iiat doors. In the assembly as shown, sled 28, 29 will=movelongitudinally along the sea bottom, thus eliminating the plonghing elect of prior'doors, and, thereby, reducing the frictional drag, as Well as they tendency to `stir lup the bottom.. t Y

FIG. illustrates the lnovel center drag line attachment construction 17. This constructionkor device consists ofA top and bottom tanks 45 and 46 of'streamlineontour, as shown, and connected at their ends by'vertical rud- Y ders 47 and 48. I)Fill-ing openings in the ends of the ltanks are provided with removable sealing caps 49, these filling openings permitting varying the vweight of liquid ballast stored inthe tanks and, therefore, the ldeadweight of the netting. Thus, a very-large portion of the catch load is directly carried through device 17 and center line 26 to the main tow line, While the net moves along the sea bottom. The quantity of liquid ballast in the tanks 45 and 46,'as well as the inclination of these tanks, may be adjusted to vary the depth o-f the net and its distance from the bottom. y Y f FIG. 7 shows the novel trash rejection trap 55 which is secured in bagl portion 13 of the net a short way rearwardly from net apex 18. This trap consists, essentially, of a rectangularbottom frame including longitudinal and transverse bars 56, 57 yand 58, across which is secured a correspondingly shaped piece of canvas or other heavy, closely-wovenV cloth 59 which is longitudinally slit, as at 6%, overa portion of its length. Sheet 59 fills anopening which is out in bottom web 61 ofthe net bag portion; The periphery of this opening is, likewise, stitchedto framing Y pieces 56, 57 and 58 so that the bottom of the bag web v standing bars 62 and transverse and longitudinal pieces 63,

device tendingto maintain it yon the bottom.l Other -factors tending to maintain the device on the bottom are the inclination ofthe tanks, asdetermined by bridling'27, the

shape of the tank surfaces, andthe Weight ofithe water on ysled 'sheet 28; Y yThe. structure, inthe form of a rigid frame, is securelyfastened to the forward Yextremitiesof top and bottom Vpanels 19 ofthe net bag so as to evenly-disburse center dragline forces valong the edges Vof the heavier bag 64 and 65, which form, with the vadjacent portions of the bottom framing pieces, a box with open ksides which snugly iits within the net bag, -as indicated. `Connecting/transverse framing pieces 63Vand 58 are a transversely arranged series of curved rigid bars or ngers 66 forming a lattice or open work and spaced aparta sutiicicnt distance to permit the passage therethrough off the wanted catch, such as shrimp, while preventing the passage of larger, :un- Wantedobjects andcreatures such as loggerhead Sponges. These latter objectsy will be forced downwardly by the curved bars and thence out of thebag through slit60.

Accordingly, I have provided novel trawling gearV having'numerous advantages overh previousV practice.- The improved otter doors, in particular, are much less bulk-y yet moreeffective than previous doors, while the arrangement of drag lines is such as to protect the relatively weak netting Vof the forward portionvof vthe net from amajor portion of the loadV entrappedin the bag. YThus IV am ableto catch larger quantities of shrimp or otherr fishwithout unduly straining Vthe. net or forcing theotterdoors Vinwardly in a manner to reduce the expense of the net mouth, as vhas been thelcase heretofore. Furthermore, I am able Ytous'e the novel trawling gear in substantially deeper waters than heretofore and without stirring up the bottom as Y-has previous trawling equipment. v V i The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use .of all modifications as comerwithin the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

Iclaim: A

1. Trawlinggear comprising Va'n'et'havingfa dared forward portion Yprovided with an apex portion disposed rearwardly therefrom ,anda centered,lgenerally tubular collecting part extendingrearwardly from said apex portion and having top and bottom panels extending substantially forwardly of said apex portion drag lines exting extending rearwardly from said apex portion and with at least one of its horizontal panels extending forwardly of said apex portion at least a major portion of the distance to the net mouth, reinforcing means at the forward edge of said extending panel, drag lines diverging forwardly from the sides of the net mouth, otter doors attached to the ends of said drag lines, converging tow lines extending forwardly from said otter doors, and a center tow line extending forwardly from said panel reinforcing means for carrying a substantial portion of the load for said collectingportion independently of said otter doors and the netting of said flared forward part of the net.

3. A trawling net comprising a dared forward portion formed of relatively light netting, an apex portion disposed rearwardly therefrom, and a generally tubular collecting portion extending rearwardly from said apex portion, said collecting portion having top and bottom panels extending forwardly of said apex portion at least a major portion of the distance to the net mouth, and a rigid frame structure secured to the forward extremities of said panels for attachment of a tow line.

4. A trawling net comprising a ared forward portion provided with an apex portion disposed rearwardly therefrom, a generally tubular collecting portion extending rearwardly from said apex portion, and a rigid frame structure secured to the forward extremity of said co1- lecting portion, said structure having attachments for a tow cable and also having rudder-like portions for stabilizing the path of the net.

5. A trawling net as described in claim 4 in which said collecting portion has top and bottom panels which extend forwardly of said apex portion at least a major portion of the distance to the net mouth and said frame structure is secured to the forward extremities of said panels.

6. In a trawling net, a flared forward portion having an apex portion disposed rearwardly therefrom, a generally tubular collecting portion extending rearwardly from said apex portion, there being a restricted opening in the bottom panel of said collecting portion, and lattice structure depending from the top wall of said co1- lecting portion toward said opening for directing objects entering said collecting portion but larger than the openings in said lattice structure downwardly through said opening.

7. In a trawling net, a ared forward portion having an apex portion disposed rearwardly therefrom and a generally tubular collecting portion extending rearwardly from said apex portion, there being a restricted opening in the bottom of said collecting portion, and an object rejecting trap device mounted in said collecting portion adjacent said opening and comprising framing received within the general contour of said collecting portion and with openings in its forward and bottom portions registering, respectively, with the opening through the interior of said collecting portion and the bottom opening therein, said framing further having lattice structure inclined downwardly and rearwardly from its upper portion and disposed to divert trash through the bottom openings in said framing and said collecting portions.

8. A trawling net for small fish, shrimp and the like, comprising a forward, mouth-forming portion and a rearwardly extending, generally tubular, collecting portion with a bottom panel having a restricted opening, and an object rejecting frame snugly received in said collecting portion adjacent said bottom opening, said frame having laterally spaced ngers secured to and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the upper part thereof above said opening for diverting through said opening objects too large to pass between said fingers.

9. A trawling net having a dared forward portion of relatively light netting with an apex portion disposed rearwardly therefrom, a generally tubular collecting portion extending rearwardly from said apex portion and of substantially heavier netting, said collecting portion having top and bottom panels extending forwardly of said apex portion at least a major portion of the distance to the net mouth, there being a restricted opening in said bottom panel, a rigid, cable attaching frame secured to the forward extremities of said panels, drag cables diverging forwardly from the sides of the net mouth, a skeletal frame snugly received in said collecting portion over said restricted opening, and laterally spaced fingers secured to and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the upper part of said frame to the vicinity of said opening for diverting therethrough objects entering said collecting portion but too large to pass between said fingers.

10. Trawling equipment as described in claim 9, further including otter doors secured to the forward extremities of said diverging draglines and a center tow line extending forwardly from said attaching frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,866,813 Lindvall July 12, 1932 2,231,869 Andrews Feb. 18, 1941 2,259,217 Stevenson Oct. 14, 1941 2,608,781 Pierlot Sept. 2, 1952 2,608,782 Bottemanne Sept. 2, 1952 2,618,879 Lewis n Nov. 25, 1952 2,661,562 Burney Dec. 8, 1953 2,894,366 Leckie July 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,262 Great Britain 1911 648,089 Great Britain Dec. 28, 1950 

